2015 – Year in Review

My total attendance for 2015 was 50 events, a significant increase as compared to my 2014 total attendance of 36 and yet another annual record overall. The 50 events included 29 concerts, a single day festivals, two multiday festivals in which I only attended one day, and a multiday festival in which I attended multiple days. In total, this involved live music on 53 individual days, just over an average of one day/evening per week. As far as I can confirm, 27 of those events were sold out. Moving forward, the number of days attended in addition to the number of artists seems like the more relevant figure to use when tracking my stats. References to “concerts” or “events” will mean individual days attended. So three days of Lollapalooza would be equal to three events.

I attended more events in Chicago (48) than anywhere else, all of which were within the city limits itself. I visited a total of 27 separate venues this year, of which 23 were in Chicago. This included multiple visits to many including the Riviera Theatre (7), Chicago Theatre (4), Metro (4), Thalia Hall (4), FirstMerit Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island (3), Vic Theatre (3), Concord Music Hall (2), Lincoln Hall (2), Schubas (2), United Center (2), and Wrigley Field (2). In addition to shows in Indiana and Wisconsin, I also saw two international shows will on vacation in Southern Africa. Including Ingonyama's performance at Miombo Safari Camp in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe might be a bit questionable, but I did come away with their album, so I'm counting it.

I saw at least three shows on every day of the week. Saturday (13) was the leader, followed by Friday (11) and Thursday (9). Though there was a slight uptick in the summer months, the number of events were spread pretty evenly throughout the year. July was the leading month with six, though a full seven other months had a total of five. February was the lowest with two.

Including all the artists that I specifically wrote about, I saw a total of 90 performances by 87 artists, seeing Damien Rice, Kishi Bashi, and U2 twice each. Of the 90, 34 were artists that I have seen before; the remaining 56 were artists that I was seeing for the first time. This includes counting Brandon Flowers' solo performance and Dave & Tim's acoustic set as new acts but Neil Young + Promise of the Real as just another iteration of his same performance music.

Though Lindsey (19) still attended more concerts with me than any other person, Sarah (15) and Matt (13) were not far behind; Seth (9) and Blair (8) also put up considerable numbers as well. I attended three events on my own.

Total ticket cost was $2,262, an average and median of $43 and $35 per event, respectively.

None of my favorite sets of there year were at a festival; half were artists I saw for the first time. The only venue with more than one appearance on the list was Wrigley Field, which happened to be my only two shows at the venue this year.

• Grateful Dead [Soldier Field] – Fare Thee Well to a legendary band, the mythology surrounding this experience made this the most memorable performance of the year
• U2 [United Center] – Up close for an amazing performance from one of my favorite bands of all time; the experience they provide each and every tour proves why they’re worthy of being called the greatest rock band in the world year after year
• Billy Joel [Wrigley Field] – Finally getting to see another legendary performer whose catalogue I love
• The Rolling Stones [Indianapolis Motor Speedway] – Perhaps the most legendary of them all on a beautiful night in an open field
• AC/DC [Wrigley Field] – More rock gods who still know how to bring it
• Kendrick Lamar [Riviera Theatre] – An intimate performance centered around one of my favorite albums of the year
• Frank Turner (& the Sleeping Souls) [House of Blues, Chicago] – A few new songs, many older favorite, just an unbelievably fun show
• Marilyn Manson [Riviera Theatre] – Though not my scene, an artist that I’ve always liked and am glad exists in the world; great crowd and fun show
• Zola Jesus [Athenaeum Theatre] – Great seats for a really unique singer
• Alt-J (∆) [Aragon Ballroom] – One of my favorite bands of recent years; I love their entire catalogue and very happy to see them at one of my favorite venues in the city 
• Honorable mentions include: Damien Rice [Auditorium Theatre & Jay Pritzker Pavilion], Dave Matthews Band [Alpine Valley Music Theatre & with Tim Reynolds at Farm Aid, Guster [Riviera Theatre], Imagine Dragons [Farm Aid], and Strand of Oaks [Lollapalooza].

This entry marks my 200th post, going back to June 2009 with consistent entries since September of that year. While this blog documents a significant number of performances, there were many before I started writing. I have since tried to go back and document every performance that I have seen. It actually all began at a Kenny Loggins concert that my mom took me to somewhere around 1991. While this process of going back and documenting all these shows involved some guesswork, I was surprised how much information could be found in some corner of the internet. I’m no doubt still missing some though. The below estimates reflect totals to the best of my knowledge as of this blog entry. They’ll be updated on a regular basis and posted annually as I correct errors and omissions.

By my count, I have attended 303 events (i.e. days of music) and seen 641 performances by 434 artists. I have seen only five artists six or more times including Phish (11), Dave Matthews Band (10 through 11 if you count Dave & Tim), Guster (8), Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue (7), and Modest Mouse (6). I have seen a further eight acts five times, 13 acts four times, 20 acts three times, 60 acts twice, and 333 a single time. I have visited 111 separate venues in 46 cities. Of those venues, I have been to the 9:30 Club by far the most, 35 times. Following the legendary DC club, I have attended a total of 19 days of music at Bonnaroo. The only other venues in double digits are the Riviera Theatre (16) and Merriweather Post Pavilion (13). Other notables are Verizon Center (9), Wolf Trap National Park (8), Lincoln Hall (8), Chicago Theatre (7), Vic Theatre (7), Jiffy Lube Live/Nissan Pavilion (7) Metro (6), and FirstMerit Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island (6). Concerts in the Chicago metro area (115) have officially eclipsed the Washington DC metro area (100).

Johnnyswim, Thalia Hall, Chicago, Illinois

I had now been to Thalia Hall in Pilsen a couple times, and it was also my second time seeing the folk, soul, blues, pop duo Johnnyswim, comprised of husband Abner Ramirez and wife Amanda Sudano (daughter of singer Donna Summer and composer Bruce Sudano). The last time was a few years ago at Lollapalooza. Though they have yet to release a proper follow up album, their brief December holiday tour would feature songs from a Christmas EP released last year, plus a couple additional unreleased Christmas songs.

The venue was fairly empty when we arrived, so it was easy to get a spot close to the stage. A few Christmas trees decorated the stage, but otherwise both the stage and lighting were fairly sparse. Hearing that there would be no opener and two sets, I assumed that meant a standard set and a Christmas set. Instead, they ended up doing two sets that were a mix of the two. Not my preference, but it was fine. The audience was older than I would have expected. It seemed like a lot of middle age couples and groups of female friends enjoying a night out. The show was also louder than I would have expected, but we were pretty close to the speakers.

In addition to Amanda and Abner, the pair were accompanied by their backing band, same as at Lolla. At one point, they also briefly brought their son, who had been born in just the past year, on stage. Sporting a set of large ear muffs, the youngster added one word to the performance, “hi.” Not bad considering he was in utero that last time he was at the venue. Before the intermission, they plugged a charity that they support, telling everyone to bypass their merch table and support the charity.

The duo did a couple of off mic songs, where they stepped to the very front of the stage with just a single acoustic guitar and their voices. During the second set, they did an unplugged song where they came to the center of the audience in the middle of the room to perform a singalong of “Santa Clause is Coming to Town” and I believe one of their songs. I don’t know what they were thinking, because that didn’t really work. Why would I want to hear people around me whispering and singing poorly instead of the band, especially when I can’t even see them?

Their Christmas songs including some interesting new arrangements of Christmas classics, though nothing exceedingly innovative. They were updated, but not completely new orchestrations like Sufjan Stevens does. Overall a very pleasant evening though and certainly a show I’d be happy to see annually.

Setlist:
Set 1:
Winter Wonderland/Baby, It's Cold Outside
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas/Santa Baby
Don't Let It Get You Down
You & I
Hummingbird [Acoustic]
What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve [Acoustic]
The Christmas Waltz
Adelina
Set 2:
Auld Lang Syne/Christmas Day/Joy to the World/All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town [Unplugged]
Trouble
Live While We're Young/Little Drummer Boy
O Come O Come Emmanuel
Take the World
Diamonds
Home
This Christmas

The Get Up Kids, Double Door, Chicago, Illinois

It was my second time seeing emo/punk band The Get Up Kids, the first being a couple years ago at Riot Fest 2014. Though I wasn’t really much of a fan during their heyday in the late 90s and early aughts, I became a fan because some friends were planning to attend their Riot Fest set. Before the festival, the band announced that they would be playing Something to Write Home About (2000) in full. I listened that album quite a bit in advance of the show and really enjoyed it and their performance, though I hadn’t expanded my appreciation of them much in the past couple years. So I arrived at the venue hoping to hear as much of that same album as possible. I was also excited to see The Get Up Kids in a club setting. As an added bonus, it would be my first visit to the Double Door, a beloved bar/venue in Wicker Park. Though we only showed up as the opening band was finishing its set, we were able to slide up the side along the bar and secure a very good spot for the show.

The band was celebrating its twentieth anniversary, so there were a handful of casual references to the experience of growing old and what was happening in the 90’s when they were getting started. While retaining their punkish vibe (at least on nights out), the older crowd could no doubt relate to days of youth long past. I was pleased to get to hear a handful of the songs that I knew from Sometime to Write Home About plus a handful of others that I enjoyed even though I didn’t recognize. However, I had had my fill by the end of their main set. Not wanting to battle the crowd to get to the main door, I bypassed a rope and snuck out the side door. As I exited, I gave a brief hello to a few of the band members as they were prepping for the encore.

Setlist:
Coming Clean
I'm a Loner Dottie, a Rebel
Stay Gold, Ponyboy
Holiday
Woodson
Overdue
Mass Pike
Action & Action
Valentine
Forgive and Forget
No Love
Off the Wagon
Campfire Kansas
Red Letter Day
Don't Hate Me
I'll Catch You
Encore:
Close to Me [The Cure cover]
Beer for Breakfast [The Replacements cover]
Ten Minutes

The Arcs & Mariachi Flor de Toloache, Vic Theatre, Chicago, Illinois

We arrived toward the end of opening band Mariachi Flor de Toloache’s set, an all-female Mariachi band from New York. I liked what I heard and wished that we would have arrived a bit earlier. I have a feeling they’ll be around for a bit though, so I doubt this was my only chance to see them. I could see them being quite successful on the festival circuit as they gain popularity. The show was sold out, but it was easy to find a good spot on the second landing, out from underneath the balcony so the sound was still very good.

The Arcs are a new side project for Dan Auerbach, lead guitarist of the Black Keys. The band includes five other members, with members often playing a variety of instruments. Generally this always included a pair of players on the drums throughout the show. Their debut album, Yours, Dreamily (2015), will be another contender for my top albums of the year list. The entirety of that album, plus a cover, would comprise the show’s setlist. Their sound is similar to the Black Keys, though less blues and more garage rock. They carry this with them in their attitude on stage. While they rocked hard, Auerbach and company all have such a casual demeanor about them, as if they actually were just a few friends practicing in one of their parents’ garages. There were some improvised jams and meandering solos. Mariachi Flor de Toloache, who had also contributed to Yours, Dreamily joined The Arcs onstage for a few songs.

Setlist:
Stay In My Corner
Bad Girl
Keep On Dreaming
Pistol Made of Bones
Put a Flower in Your Pocket
The Arc
Nature's Child
Little Baby [The Blue Rondos cover]
Cold Companion
My Mind
Chains of Love
Young
I Want a Holler
Outta My Mind
Encore:
Aretha
Velvet Ditch

Paper Kites & Old Man Canyon, Lincoln Hall, Chicago, Illinois

Once again at the last minute, a friend had won some free tickets to the show. Not surprisingly, the place was empty, so no wonder they were giving tickets away. I hadn’t even heard of either of the bands before that evening, let alone know any songs. Both were indie rock bands. The first was Old Man Canyon, from Vancouver. Though their name would seem to imply something more folky and twangy, they had more of a dream pop sound. The second band was Paper Kites from “Melbon.” Their set included a long acoustic piece and a truly terrible story about painting the ceiling.

EL VY, Metro, Chicago, Illinois

The evening began with opening act Soren Juul. He used to play under the moniker Indians but returned to his using his given name when he realized that people were having a difficult time finding him online. He was good if a bit melancholy. However, I guess the latter could also be said of EL VY.

EL VY is a new side project for Matt Berninger, lead singer of the indie rock band The National, and Brent Knopf of Menomena. The new band announced a tour well before the release of their debut album or even a single. We assumed that Berninger would be singing, so made the assumption that whatever the project ended up becoming, it would be worth hearing. Frankly, I’d listen to Berninger sing the phone book; I like his voice that much. So we bought tickets, which were fairly cheap, before knowing what the band would even sound like. At the very least it would be a rare chance to see Matt Berninger perform on a small stage. Fortunately, when the album did finally drop, I enjoyed it immensely. Perhaps a contender for one of my favorite albums of the year, though I’m still not familiar with it enough such that I know every song by heart.

We arrived earlyish and secured a spot relatively close to the stage, definitely closer than anytime that I’ve seen The National. With help from a few additional supporting musicians, Berninger and Knopt played their entire debut album, Return to the Moon (2015), plus a cover, though not in order. As predicted, the highlight was Berninger’s vocal performance. I love the way his baritone voice sinks into key lyrics, just barely on the verge of a scream.

Before the song “Paul is Alive,” he explained its origins. He wrote it for his dad when he was home in Cincinnati for Christmas and realized that he forgot to get his Dad a birthday present, an event which coincides with the holiday. During the explanation, he gave a shout out to his Dad who was in the audience and looked to find them. His mom stood up and waved the attention to herself, while his Dad remained seated. This is exactly what I would have predicted based on my previous interaction with them at the Chicago Theatre. His response was “Sit down mom; this is about Dad.”

With only their album and a cover, it was a short set, and the band skipped performing any encore. Too bad we didn’t get to hear a few stripped down versions of The National songs. He did owe us some time from their delayed set at Riot Fest 2014, the last time he performed in Chicago.

Setlist:
Careless
It's a Game
Sleepin' Light
Sad Case
Happiness, Missouri
Silent Ivy Hotel
Return to the Moon (Political Song for Didi Bloome to Sing, with Crescendo)
Paul Is Alive
I'm the Man to Be
She Drives Me Crazy [Fine Young Cannibals cover]
No Time to Crank the Sun
Need a Friend

Drive-By Truckers, Thalia Hall, Chicago, Illinois

Though I’ve liked the Athens, Georgia based Drive-By Truckers for a number of years, I never became a huge fan. Nonetheless, I always thought they would make for a good show. Their music is a blend of alternative country and Southern rock comparable to the Allman Brothers Band. They announced a pair of shows as Thalia Hall in Pilsen, where I seem to have trekking to a lot recently. The show didn’t seem to be close to being sold out. Though there was still a decent sized crowd, it was easy to slide up midway back, finding some space with a decent view of the stage. If there was an opener, we didn’t arrive in time to catch any of it.

The band includes Patterson Hood (guitar, vocals), Mike Cooley (guitar, vocals), Brad "The EZB" Morgan (drums), Jay Gonzalez (keyboards), and Matt Patton (bass). Patterson and Cooley, the band’s only two remaining original members, traded off vocals throughout the set. Many of the members switched off between additional instruments like banjos, mandolins, and harmonicas. Behind them was a backdrop of their most recent album, English Oceans (2014); a handful of stage lights illuminated the stage.

Except for looking at a few recent setlists, I didn’t know what to expect. I knew that they varied up their setlists, but I wasn’t even sure what songs were fan favorites. They didn’t play my personal favorite, “The Man I Shot,” but it doesn’t look like they play it all that much, so I wasn’t too surprised or disappointed. Their setlist included songs from nine or more different albums plus a cover, going back as far as Gangstabilly (1998) and then a couple, only a couple, from their recent album, English Oceans (2014). They pulled the most songs from Southern Rock Opera (2001). I can’t remember which song, but at one point, the lead vocalist had to tape the lyrics to a new song to his microphone stand. Overall a solid set, though they didn’t blow me away. Many of the fans around me were dancing and having a good time, so perhaps under different circumstances, like being with people who were a bit more into it or having a bit more to drink, it could have been a bit more fun. They band members were certainly having fun, as they passed around a bottle of liquor amongst themselves during the show.

Setlist:
Tornadoes
Get Downtown
Feb 14
Where the Devil Don't Stay
Sink Hole
First Air of Autumn
Ramon Casiano
Gravity's Gone
Wednesday
Shit Shots Count
Steve McQueen
A Ghost to Most
Sandwiches for the Road
Women Without Whiskey
Dead, Drunk, and Naked
Guitar Man Upstairs
Puttin' People on the Moon
Encore:
Birthday Boy
Girls Who Smoke
Zip City
Angels and Fuselage
Shut Up and Get on the Plane
People Who Died [The Jim Carroll Band cover]

Beirut, Riviera Theatre, Chicago, Illinois

We arrived early, in time to see most of opening act Icy Demons’ set. A project of various Chicago musicians, I thought they were quite good, especially for an opening act. Their sound blurred the line between progressive rock and jazz. The lead singer fused in a bit of reggae as well. Another band to keep an eye on. Despite our early arrival, we kept to the back of the lowest section. It was not a show that we felt we need to be up as far as we could, mixing it up. The show was sold out but floor never became unbearably crowded.

I have seen Beirut several times before. While I don’t particularly love or am even able to name many individual songs, I have always enjoyed their overall sound. Their music is decidedly indie folk but with some Eastern European/Gypsy folk elements. It features lots of brass and the lead singer Zach Condon’s voice has kind of a haunting quality, though not quite to the extent of DeVotcka’s Nick Urata. The band started as a solo music project for multi-instrumentalist Condon, but evolved into a full band with rotating members. Presently, there were six members including Zach Сondon (trumpet/flugelhorn/ukulele), Nick Petree (drums/percussion/melodica), Paul Collins (electric bass/upright bass), Kyle Resnick (trumpet), Ben Lanz (trombone/sousaphone/glockenspiel), and Aaron Arntz (piano/keyboards).

In an interview with New York Magazine some years back, Condon explained the band’s name: “One of the reasons I named the band after that city was the fact that it’s seen a lot of conflict. It’s not a political position. I worried about that from the beginning. But it was such a catchy name. I mean, if things go down that are truly horrible, I’ll change it. But not now. It’s still a good analogy for my music. I haven’t been to Beirut, but I imagine it as this chic urban city surrounded by the ancient Muslim world. The place where things collide.” I agree that the name is fitting. In contrast to the sound exuded from the stage, the stage itself was pretty sparse, just the band and a few lights.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the specific setlist, and while I recognized all the songs, they mostly blurred together in my mind. Based on their average setlist from the tour, about a third of the songs on their setlist came from their recent album, No No No (2015). The remaining songs were pulled from various albums including four from Gulag Orkestar (2006), three each from The Flying Club Cup (2007) and The Rip Tide (2011), and one each from Elephant Gun (2007), March of the Zapotec (2009), and Realpeople Holland (2009).

Approximate Setlist:
Scenic World
Elephant Gun
East Harlem
As Needed
Perth
Santa Fe
No No No
August Holland
Postcards from Italy
The Rip Tide
The Shrew
My Night with the Prostitute from Marseille
Nantes
Fener
Serbian Cocek [A Hawk and a Hacksaw cover]
After the Curtain
So Allowed
Encore:
Pacheco
The Gulag Orkestar
In the Mausoleum
The Flying Club Cup

Kendrick Lamar, Riviera Theatre, Chicago, Illinois

With only a couple of weeks’ notice, Kendrick Lamar announced a handful of surprise shows to close out the year, billed as the “1st Annual Kunta’s Groove Session,” named for Kunta Kinte, the main protagonist from Alex Haley’s novel Roots, who is evoked in the title of the song, “King Kunta,” probably the biggest single from Lamar’s widely critically acclaimed To Pimp a Butterfly (2015). I doubt that this will become an annual event, but as I’m a big fan of the album, I’d be happy to hear its songs performed annually.

The show was initially announced to take place at the Concord Theatre, which I immediately recognized as being a much smaller venue than where he should have been booked. Tickets sold out immediately, but I was lucky enough to nab a pair. However, unfortunately, at least for me, it was announced the week of the show that it would be moved over to the Riviera, and more tickets would go on sale. I wasn’t pleased with this, as the opportunity to see Kendrick Lamar at such a small venue was the major reason that I bought the tickets to begin with. Not Cool Jam Productions; not cool. Ticket prices on the secondary market crashed though, making it more reasonable for a new friend to join us for the show at the last minute, so that was at least something positive to come out of the switch.

We arrived at the theatre a bit after doors opened, and though it was crowded in the bottom section, we were able to slide our way in towards the back. Kendrick Lamar had arranged for label mate Jay Rock as the opening act. Jay Rock hails from South Central LA, a neighborhood called Watts only a couple miles from Lamar’s home in Compton. He took the stage alone. The curtain behind him remained closed, and he rapped over backing tracks. Though I didn’t know any of his songs, he was pretty good as an opener, and the audience seemed to be pretty into his performance.

Kendrick Lamar took the stage at exactly 10pm, joined by a full backing band. There were some various lights on the stage, though nothing too fancy. Also on stage was a single neon sign pointing an entrance for “Pimps Only.” The audience in our section compacted significantly, and it was the most crowded show that I had been to in a while, save for a handful of moments in the pit at Frank Turner. I saw Kendrick Lamar at Bonnaroo a couple years ago, and enjoyed the performance. However, this was in 2013, before the release of To Pimp a Butterfly. He made several references to that album and the year that he had been having, humble bragging that “some people might call this the album of the year; some people might call album of this generation, but to me this is therapy.”

His setlist included a mix of songs from good kid, m.A.A.d city (2012) and To Pimp a Butterfly. Though he name checked his first album, Section.80 (2011), asking who in the room had been a fan since its initial release, none of the songs from it made the cut. By the end of the night, I had pretty heard almost every song that I wanted to hear. “P & P” was noticeably missing. While it’s not uncommon for fans to smoke during shows at the Riviera, this was the first time I saw people smoking cigarettes.

Perhaps the coolest part of the show started during the encore break. Immediately after his main set, a guy near me started chanting/singing the hook to Lamar’s single “Alright” over and over – "we gon' be a-right,"…"we gon' be a-right,"…"we gon' be a-right…" Soon everyone near him joined in, then most of the audience in the lower section. After a couple minutes, Kendrick returned to the stage to lead the audience in continuing the chant, pointing to different sections, timing when to start and stop, and adjusting the volume level. He did all this without stepping to the microphone, just the whole crowd focused on his movements. I’m not sure if this is a par for the course at his shows or if it was a first for him too. I’ve been involved in a lot of coordinated audience sing-alongs. However, never before had I participated in one that seemed to come together so organically. It was incredible, and easily the highlight of the show for me. After a full version of “Alright,” and a brief outro, Kendrick took a bow. The show ended up being about an hour and a half total.

Approximate Setlist:
For Free (Interlude)
Wesley's Theory
Institutionalized
Backseat Freestyle
Swimming Pools (Drank)
These Walls
For Sale (Interlude)
Hood Politics
Complexion (A Zulu Love)
Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe
Money Trees
m.A.A.d city
U
Freestyle (Spoken Word Interlude)
King Kunta
Momma
i
How Much a Dollar Cost (Interlude)
The Blacker the Berry
Mortal Man
Encore:
Alright
Every Nigger Is a Star (Outro) [Boris Gardiner Cover]

Old 97s, Thalia Hall, Chicago, Illinois

The Old 97's are an alternative country band from Dallas. Though they’ve been around since the early 90s, I hadn’t heard of them until recently. However, I listened to a few albums and liked what I heard. Many of the band’s songs harken back to their Texas roots, though they could also be called a hometown band, having released albums on the Chicago-based Bloodshot Records label on and off since their early years.

We arrived as the show was starting. It wasn’t sold out, and while we didn’t feel the need to slide up particularly close, it was easy to find a spot with good sound and a decent view. The Old 97’s consist of Rhett Miller (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Ken Bethea (lead guitar, backing and occasional lead vocals), Murry Hammond (bass guitar, backing and occasional lead vocals), and Philip Peeples (drums, backing vocals). Rhett Miller reminded me of another Texas native introduced to the world in 1993, the fictional character Randall "Pink" Floyd, as portrayed by Jason London in the Richard Linklater film Dazed and Confused (1993). Both wore tight pants, an open flowing shirt, and had long flowing brown hair.

With 18 albums under their belts, the Old 97s had a deep catalogue from which to pull. They seemed to dig deep, such that even following my attempt to learn their most commonly played songs, there were a lot that I didn’t recognize. Their set also included a handful of covers. The full band participated in the majority of the performance, though a few songs featured only Hammond on an acoustic guitar and Miller on vocals. Overall it was a fun show and despite their long career, they’re all still enthusiastic performers that are highly appreciative of their continued fan base.

Setlist:
Give It Time
What We Talk About
King of All the World
Wasted
Up the Devil's Pay
Salome
Wheels Off
Nashville
Big Brown Eyes
The Other Shoe
You Belong to My Heart [Bing Crosby cover]
Over the Cliff [Jon Langford cover]
Color of a Lonely Heart Is Blue
Longer than You've Been Alive
I'm a Trainwreck
Guadalajara
Rollerskate Skinny
White Port
Murder (Or a Heart Attack)
Barrier Reef
Every Night Is Friday Night (Without You)
Most Messed Up
Encore:
Most in the Summertime [Rhett Miller song]
Valentine
Wish the Worst
Let's Get Drunk & Get It On
Timebomb

Civil Twilight, Lincoln Hall, Chicago, Illinois

Like The Word last week, there weren’t many people there at Lincoln Hall to see Civil Twilight. Again, I suspect that it might have had something to do with the Cubs playing in Game 3 of the NLCS just down the road, even though they were already down 2-0 in the series, and the live updates that I received on my phone weren’t looking promising. Nonetheless, I felt bad for the band that so few people showed up. I hoped that they were having more success at other shows.

I wasn’t a particularly big fan, but a friend had won tickets to the show. Since I liked a couple songs and their overall sound, it was easy for me to forgo watching the Cubs lose and check out the show. The sounded an awful lot like Coldplay, even though they’re from down under, not the other side of the pond. The lead singer even switched to piano for a couple songs, a la Chris Martin. He also admitted that he wasn’t really too familiar with baseball, but he tried to empathize with us, updating some of the lyrics of “Oh Daniel,” to “I wish I knew why the Cubs were losing.” He also mentioned that he was getting married on Friday. There were few enough people in the room that I was able to casually inquire how he was planning to pull all that off, and he was able to clarify that the wedding would occur in Nashville, not back home in Australia.

Setlist:
River
Trouble
River Child
Let It Go
Doorway
Please Don't Find Me
Story of an Immigrant
Oh Daniel
It's Over
Holy Dove
Letters from the Sky
When, When
Encore:
Human

The Word, Concord Music Hall, Chicago, Illinois

The Word ended up being another show that I decided to attend on my own at the last minute. I even showed up without a ticket, just purchasing one at the door. It was my first time at Concord Music Hall, a nice, mid-sized venue in Wicker Park.

The Word is the combination of gospel steel guitarist Robert Randolph and southern rock/blues band North Mississippi Allstars. They released an album nearly 15 years ago, then went their separate ways to concentrate on their normal projects. The reunited for a follow up album, Soul Food (2015), which was released earlier this year. I knew that seeing Randolph play the steel guitar would be a treat and assumed I wouldn’t be able to see it with this configuration of artists again for some time. When I arrived, I was surprised by how few people were there. I could have easily walked up to the stage even a few minutes before their main set. I was a bit worried for them, I hoped the tour was going better than the number of people I saw that night would have indicated. It probably didn’t help that the Cubs were playing St. Louis in game three of the National League Division Series over at Wrigley Field that evening. While it never filled up completely, it did get a little more crowded by the time that the show started. They put on a rocking show playing songs from their new album as well as what I believe were songs from each band, plus a few covers. Quite a few songs were just extended jams.

Frank Turner & the Sleeping Souls, House of Blues, Chicago, Illinois

For some reason, I waited a bit too long to get Frank Turner tickets, perhaps hoping that I could find someone to join me for the English folk punk singer-songwriter’s return to Chicago. That person never materialized, and tickets for the official front section ended up selling out. Though in my experience House of Blues typically maintains general admission policy throughout the venue, they claim to reserve the right to enforce sections. And if there was a show that I refused to be stuck in the back for, it was Frank Turner (love him and want to be up close with the diehard fans) at the House of Blues (the back sounds terrible). So I waited, planning to utilize the secondary market as needed.

However, it unfortunately turned out that a live taping of the Stuff You Should Know (SYSK) Podcast was occurring on the same night as the Frank Turner show. Even though Frank was my favorite show of 2013, I had seen him before, and I figured he would return. On the other hand, I might not get a chance to see a live taping of SYSK again for quite a while if at all. So I figured I’d skip Frank. However, in the days leading up to the show, it kept irking me that he was coming to Chicago, and I’d miss him. So once I confirmed the approximate set times of the two shows, I decided that I could probably swing both. So I went to SYSK, witnessing the full taping of the podcast and most of the Q&A. Then I snuck out before hosts Josh and Chuck left the stage to catch a ride downtown to the House of Blues. Frank was only a couple of songs into his set when I arrived. I didn’t miss much. Hell yeah.

The Tuesday night show was sold out. And if a show is sold out on a Tuesday night, you know that everyone in the audience wants to be there. As such, it wasn’t particularly easy to find a great spot. I slid my way through the crowd and within a couple more songs found myself in front of the bar house left. It wasn’t perfect, but a pretty good spot all things considered. After a bit, I slid down into the pit though a bit off to the side.

Frank was accompanied by the Sleeping Souls, his usual backing band. Other than a large backdrop of his new album, Positive Songs for Negative People (2015), and some standard lights, there weren’t any theatrics. He played a mix of old and new songs. I liked a lot of the new songs, and was glad to get to hear a few of them live, as it made me appreciate them all the more. His songs are just so damn fun, each one encourages a sing along. Just the greatest little blend of genres – all the energy of punk with the singability and relatableness of folk. His music makes for a hell of a show.

Frank was wearing a white shirt and tie but his sleeves were rolled halfway up showing his tattoo sleeves, making for a decidedly more casual look. Without the back trouble of his last performance in Chicago, he played guitar himself throughout, including a few solo songs in the middle of his set. At some point, he noted that it was show number 1745; he has the full list on his website. Apparently when it comes chronicling concerts, he’s just as big of a nerd as me.

At the start of the encore, I slid into the pit, right in the thick of things amongst the hardcore fans that knew every word to every song. During the encore of the show, a fan jumped on stage. As the bouncers aimed to throw him off the stage, perhaps out of the venue, Frank stopped them and instead gave him a harmonica. The look on the guy’s face indicted that this might be the most important moment in his life. He loved every minute of it, even though he looked a bit like a deer in headlights at first, having no idea what to do with himself when he succeed in getting on stage. Frank crowd surfed a bit himself during the encore as well. Everyone walked out with such joy. A guy stopped me outside the L when I had gotten all the way back to my local station to ask if I was at the show. I guess he was there too and at that hour, assumed it was probably the only rational explanation for why a person would be so sweaty and look so happy.

Setlist:
Get Better

If Ever I Stray
Try This at Home
Long Live the Queen
Out of Breath
Poetry of the Deed
Peggy Sang the Blues
Josephine
Polaroid Picture
I Am Disappeared
The Opening Act of Spring
The Ballad of Me and My Friends
Tell Tale Signs
Somebody to Love [Queen cover]
Wessex Boy
Plain Sailing Weather
Glory Hallelujah
Reasons Not to Be an Idiot
Mittens
Recovery
The Road
The Next Storm
Photosynthesis
Encore:
I Knew Prufrock Before He Got Famous
The Way I Tend to Be
I Still Believe
Four Simple Words

The Districts, Metro, Chicago, Illinois

Even though they’re from a town not far from my hometown of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and have been around for a couple of years, I only recently discovered indie rock band The Districts. They stopped at Metro while touring to support the release of their sophomore album, A Flourish and a Spoil (2015). Not too far out of high school, the band features a standard four piece setup and plays with an alternative/garage rock sound, though they gave each other some space and everybody had their chance at a solo or two. Their set included a songs from both albums as well as a few that I believe have yet to be released. The show wasn’t close to sold out, so we had plenty of room to move around. Overall, it was an enjoyable if generic show.

Setlist:
Heavy Begs
Rocking Chair
Hounds
Long Distance
Funeral Beds
Chlorine
Jam + Fat Kiddo
Peaches
Bold
Silver Couplets
Airplane
4th & Roebling
Encore:
Suburban Smell
Young Blood

Farm Aid, FirstMerit Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island, Chicago, Illinois

Farm Aid is a benefit concert first held in 1985 by Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp and Neil Young to raise money for US family farmers. The single day event has been held annually more or less every year since. With a few exceptions, Nelson, Mellencamp, and Young have headlined the festival each year. In the mid-90’s Dave Matthews, either with his bandmates or with Tim Reynolds, became a Farm Aid regular as well. Dave now sits on the Board of Directors with the three founders. The undercard for the festival varies from year to year. It takes place on a single stage with each artists playing an abbreviated set with only a few minutes between artists. In their audience banter, many artists note the importance of family farming and how it relates to their own lives.

A sunny afternoon on Northerly Island marked the 30th anniversary of the festival (though only the 29th iteration since there was no event in 1988 or 1991). In total, I was treated to a total of 83 songs (less than a buck a song) by ten artists. Included among this was 16 covers plus 14 songs from the artists other bands/line ups (though half of that were Dave Matthews Band songs). Many of the covers were of songs by country stars of previous generations, like Woody Gutherie and George Strait.

We arrived a couple hours after the event started, so the lawn was already a bit crowded. Not so crowded that it was difficult to move around, but it took a bit of effort for the two of us to find a place to sit that met my criteria. I wasn’t too concerned with being close, but I wanted a decent view of a screen and most importantly to be optimal distance from a set of speaker. I also would have preferred to stand in the grass instead of the plastic matting that covered many areas of the field. Unfortunately that last aspect wasn’t destined to be. It didn’t help that a lot of the grassy areas were out of bounds, having turned to mud from rain the previous days. As far as the music was concerned, we arrived the perfect time, just a bit before the first act of the day that we wanted to see was taking the stage, Old Crow Medicine Show.  I have seen them before, first when they guested with Mumford & Sons at Bonnaroo 2010, then the following year at the same festival when they played alongside Mumford & Sons on the Which Stage. They were enjoyable, but the day was still ramping up.

Old Crow Medicine Show Setlist:
Brushy Mountain Conjugal Trailer
Alabama High-Test
Take 'em Away
I Hear Them All / This Land Is Your Land [Woody Guthrie cover]
City of New Orleans [Steve Goodman cover]
Wagon Wheel
8 Dogs, 8 Banjos

Next up was country artist Jamey Johnson, who debuted a new song and threw in a couple good
covers. Willie Nelson protégée Lily Meola also joined him on stage for a song; she would make a few other appearances throughout the day. Unfortunately, his style of softer country folk suffered a bit from an audience that really wasn’t all that interested in him. He seemed to fail to really captivate the audience as some later acts of the day would. It was my first time seeing him, and I thought that he was definitely someone worth keeping an eye on. I would also love to catch him on smaller stage.

Jamey Johnson Setlist:
Willie Got Me Stoned and Stole All My Money
Write Your Own Songs [Willie Nelson cover]
In Color
We Go Good in Bad Weather
That Lonesome Song
Wild and Blue [John Anderson cover]
Can't Cash My Checks
Give It Away [George Strait cover]
This Land Is Your Land [Woody Guthrie cover]

Immediately following was country singer songwriter Kacey Musgraves, a personal favorite of mine and someone whose star I hope will continue to rise. I suspect that in the coming years, she might earn a later spot at the festival. Though I’ve seen her before, I was glad to get to hear a couple of her biggest hits again. She seemed to hold the audience a bit more, but perhaps that was my personal bias and the fact that the young ladies next to us were very excited to see Musgraves.

Kacey Musgraves Setlist:
High Time
Pageant Material
This Town
Dime Store Cowgirl
Blowin' Smoke
Merry Go 'Round
Follow Your Arrow
These Boots Are Made for Walkin' [Lee Hazlewood cover]

I wished Kacey would have had a bit more time, but the show had to continue for surf folk artist Jack Johnson. He also debuted a new song, “Willie Got Me Stoned and Stole All My Money,” and was the only artist of the day who didn’t do a cover or song from some other iteration of one of his musical projects. Jack is just always fun, laid back music. He might be the most relaxed man on earth. I had seen him twice before, first at Virgin Fest in 2008, then a few years ago at Bonnaroo when he agreed to take over for Mumford & Sons headlining set when they were forced to bail on the festival at the last minute due to bassist Ted Dwane needing surgery to remove a blot clot from his brain.

Jack Johnson Setlist:
Taylor
Sitting, Waiting, Wishing
If I Had Eyes
Bubble Toes / Not Fade Away
Banana Pancakes
Wasting Time
Flake
Willie Got Me Stoned and Stole All My Money

Following Jack Johnson’s mellow set, R&B diva Mavis Staples kicked it back up a notch with some soulful ballads. Though she may be getting old, she still certainly has a powerful set up pipes. Mavis began her career with her family’s band, The Staple Singers, consisting of patriarch “Pops” Staples and his children, before going on as a solo artist. Her style and voice are similar to Aretha Franklin, but even though they’re part of the same generation of singers, Mavis never achieved success on par with the Queen of Soul. Nonetheless, she’s a legend in her own right.

Mavis Staples Setlist:
If You're Ready (Come Go With Me) [The Staple Singers song]
Slippery People [Talking Heads cover]
Can You Get to That [Funkadelic cover]
You Are Not Alone
Freedom Highway [The Staple Singers song]
I'll Take You There [The Staple Singers song]

The sun was finally setting as Imagine Dragons began their set. I’m a casual fan of theirs, but ended up really enjoying their set. More than any other artist that day, I was surprised by how much I ended up liking it. As far as I was concerned, I think they really benefited from a short set. They have yet to cultivate a deep catalogue of songs that I would have wanted to hear, so having them play just a nine song set gave them a chance to cycle through all their best songs and maintain my interest throughout.

Imagine Dragons Setlist:
It's Time
Shots
I Won't Back Down [Tom Petty cover]
I'm So Sorry
Gold
Demons
On Top of the World
Roots
Radioactive

Now on the other hand, I could have heard Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds play all night long. It was fully dark by the time the pair took the stage, which is fitting because I have never seen Dave Matthews perform while the sun is up. However, though I’ve seen the pair play before, never before was it without the rest of the band. The set consisted of all Dave Matthews Band songs, except for “So Damn Lucky” which was released on Some Devil (2008), Dave’s debut solo album. However, the band frequently plays that song during their shows. Unsurprisingly, Dave Matthews never fails to please, and I was doing some serious wiggling and singing throughout the set. I really wish I was there with someone who properly appreciated his music, as Lindsey mostly just stared at me laughing and shaking her head. As I have seen Dave Matthews Band ten times before, I had heard each of the songs in tonight’s set on previous occasions at least twice before.

Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds Setlist
What Would You Say
Satellite
The Space Between
So Damn Lucky
#41
Cornbread
Crush

Though I was happy to hear sets from the Farm Aid founders, I have to admit that following great sets from Imagine Dragons and Dave & Tim, the rest of the evening was a bit anticlimactic. I’m not a huge Mellencamp fan, so I was mostly excited to see him for posterity and out of respect for his long career. While I was disappointed that that he didn’t play “Jack & Diane,” he did play a few other songs that I knew and liked.

John Mellencamp Setlist 
Lawless Times
Small Town
Stones in My Passway [Robert Johnson cover]
Check It Out
Rain on the Scarecrow [with I Need a Lover intro]
Paper in Fire
Crumblin' Down
Authority Song
Pink Houses

On the other hand, Neil Young is by far my favorite of the Farm Aid founders. By my count, this would be my fourth time seeing Neil Young, but each time was with a different line up and iteration of his music. The first pair of times were his old bands, Crazy Horse and Buffalo Springfield.  I also saw his solo act just last year. For his Farm Aid set, he would be supported by Promise of the Real, normally fronted by Willie Nelson’s son Lukas and known as Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real. Young collaborated with Promise of the Real on his most recent album, The Monsanto Years (2015). The entire album is more or less dedicated to condemning agribusiness, particularly Monsanto. I really like the album, even if I find Young’s choice of topic a bit alarmist and hypocritical. Nonetheless, the concept album certainly does fit in well with Farm Aid’s stated goals. Lukas is still part of the band, just without separate billing. Micah Nelson, another son of Willie, is also a member of the band. Normally his role within Promise of the Real is artwork, including painting on stage like the folks from Cloud Cult. Though I don’t think he had brought his paint and brush this evening.

In addition to songs from The Monsanto Years, Young played a pair of rarities, including the Neil Young song “Alabama” which he had not played since November 12, 1977 and the Neil Young & Crazy Horse song “Western Hero” which had not been played since January 14, 1995. It was also the live debut of the song “I Won't Quit.” With Young, I more or less knew what to expect, but was really impressed with lead guitarist Lukas Nelson. He’s a better guitarist than his father, though he has yet to have any of his own big hits which is what really matters is a musician wants to become famous to the general public.

Neil Young + Promise of the Real Setlist
Workin’ Man
A Rock Star Bucks a Coffee Shop
Big Box
Alabama [Neil Young song]
Western Hero [Neil Young & Crazy Horse cover]
I Won't Quit
Love and Only Love [Neil Young & Crazy Horse song]

The honor of closing down the festival was reserved for country legend Willie Nelson. Of course in this case, a lot of the audience had left by the time he took the stage. By the end of his set, the lawn was mostly empty. Again, I’m not a huge Willie Nelson fan but have a whole lot of respect for who he is and what he’s accomplished in his career. So I was certainly happy to cross him off the bucket list. He played a few iconic songs and was joined by his son Lukas, Lily Meola, and the Blackwood Quartet (who had joined a couple artists that day). He closed the day with a cover of the Hank Williams song “I Saw the Light.”

Willie Nelson Setlist:
Whiskey River
Still Is Still Moving to Me
Beer for My Horses [Toby Keith cover]
Good Hearted Woman [Waylon Jennings cover]
Funny How Time Slips Away
Crazy
Night Life
Texas Flood [Larry Davis cover]
Will You Remember Mine
Will the Circle Be Unbroken? [traditional]
It's All Going to Pot [Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard song]
Family Bible
Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die
I Saw the Light [Hank Williams cover]